PATERSON — Hometown hip hop star Fetty Wap’s role in Paterson’s mayoral election triggered a new round of crossfire Wednesday as one mayoral contender accused the performer of taking money to endorse another candidate.

Hours after the candidate, Councilman Michael Jackson, made his accusations against Fetty Wap at a public election forum, the entertainer’s publicist issued a statement condemning Jackson, calling his assertions “false.”

The controversy comes days after several mayoral rivals accused Pedro Rodriguez, the candidate who received Fetty Wap’s endorsement during a Sunday night rally, of violating election law because one of the entertainers at the event, Fatboy SSE, was handing out $20 bills.

Fans take pictures of entertainer, Fat Boy SSE as he gives out twenty dollar bills at campaign headquarters for Pedro Rodriguez in Paterson. Sunday April 15, 2018(Photo: Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

At Wednesday’s candidates’ forum, Jackson mentioned the distribution of the cash at Rodriguez’s headquarters and talked about people trying to “take advantage of our community.”

“Fetty Wap is a personal friend of mine, the entire group are personal friends of mine,” Jackson said at the morning candidates’ forum at New Jersey Community Development Center’s Youth Center on Front Street.

“I can show you the text messages where he apologized because he was actually being paid for an endorsement. I have text messages,” Jackson added.

Candidates for Paterson Mayor Alex Cruz, Andre Sayegh, Bill McKoy, Michael Jackson and Pedro Rodriguez answer questions during a Mayoral Forum on Community and Economic Development held at the Great Falls Youth Center on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.(Photo: Amy Newman/NorthJersey.com)

By late afternoon, Fetty Wap’s publicity person, Fatima Brown, issued a statement that said, “This morning politics in Paterson took an ugly and untruthful turn and our team feels compelled to comment on it.”

Brown went on to say that Fetty Wap and Fatboy were backing Rodriguez “because the team approves of his ideas” and wants to see Paterson youth “equipped with safe recreational outlets that will allow them to flourish and become successful young adults."

“Needless to say, we are NOT personal friends of Councilman Jackson and we were NOT paid to support Mr. Rodriguez or appear at his recent event,” said Brown’s statement. “We know Mr. Rodriguez to be an honest man who does not engage in low level politicking.”

Rodriguez previously has said that his campaign did not pay any of the entertainers to support him or come to the rally at his headquarters.

Jackson, when contacted on Wednesday night, declined to respond to the criticism leveled against him. After the morning forum, he attributed Fetty Wap’s backing of Rodriguez to the performer’s connection to an unnamed developer who he said is also supporting Rodriguez.

“For him [Rodriguez] to use that to target the black community is absolutely disrespectful,” Jackson said after the forum. “To be giving out $20 bills at a campaign rally and then showcase that? That’s disrespectful to the back community.”

Brown said she was “disappointed” in Jackson’s comments. “I thought he was better than that,” she said.

The other men running for mayor are Alex Cruz, William McKoy, Alex Mendez and Andre Sayegh.